Small balls of metal, ceramic or other materials are manufactured and sold for a wide variety of uses. Examples of such balls are bbs as ammunition for bb guns, slightly larger balls for use with slingshots and ball bearings for use for various purposes in mechanical equipment. Different kinds of packages, some capable of serving as dispensers, have been used for packaging such balls for distribution and sale in retail stores. When used as ammunition for hunting, target practice or just fun shooting, the packages are preferably designed for carrying in a garment to provide a supply as needed.
The object of the present invention is to provide small ball packages embodying improved features including low cost, convenient carrying and dispensing, transparent so that the number of balls remaining in the package can easily be determined, and easily manipulated closures whereby the packages may be entirely closed or made ready for controlled dispensing of the balls as desired. Each package comprises a cup-like base for containing the balls and a cover which is rotatably and removably secured to the top of the base. The base and cover are provided with openings which, when in register, permit the dispensing of balls from the package. Indexing means may be provided for indicating positions of the cover at which the package is either closed or ready for dispensing the balls. The package may be designed to contain and dispense balls larger than those for which the package was primarily intended. This may be done by providing a circular knock-out which is large enough to permit the larger sized balls to pass out from the package. The knock-out may be combined with an indexing stop button in the package cover. In an alternative embodiment, the base of the package may be divided into a plurality of pockets each of which may contain balls of a size differing from those contained in other pockets.
The several forms of package are designed to be capable of manufacture by thermoforming, a low cost method of production. Gripping means may be provided in the base and on the cover to assist in rotating the latter to a desired position for dispensing or for closing the package. In all three of the embodiments shown and described by way of example, detent means are provided for holding the cover in either a package open or closed position. This detent means includes a small circular depressed area near the periphery of the cover forming a button projecting from the underside of the cover. If desired, this depressed area may be partially punched to form a knock-out to provide an alternative package outlet. Only the planar portion of the depression is removed for this purpose the circular flange remaining to serve its function as a part of the detent means.